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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · leaves · rest · stock · row · kid · plane · key

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — a tool
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. chip — to eat
  5. kid — child
  6. stock — shares
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. row — a line
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. row — to paddle
  13. key — for a lock
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rest — a break
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stock — goods
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rest — what's left
  24. kid — to tease

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com